


Honest, Drunken Fools

by usopping



Category: One Piece
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 23:41:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5517470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/usopping/pseuds/usopping
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Young Shanks and Mihawk have met up on a certain island, presumably for a duel, yet they've ended up drinking at a bar well into the night. When Mihawk decides Shanks has had enough, things take an unprecedented turn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honest, Drunken Fools

"Shanks, you’re drunk," Mihawk said, throwing the other man’s arm over his shoulders and hoisting him off the bar stool and onto his feet.

"Of course. One more!" Shanks exclaimed, motioning vaguely at the bartender.

Glancing at Mihawk, the bartender said, “No can do, pal. Cuttin’ you off.”

Shanks found this hilarious for some reason and laughed uproariously until Mihawk managed to drag him out of the bar and into the cool night air. Though it was well past midnight, the streets were alive with nightlife. What more could be expected from an island famous for its wide variety of handcrafted beers and ales? No one paid the two young men much attention, all too focused on their own fun.

"Where is your ship?" Mihawk asked, wondering why he’d agreed to meet up with Shanks here in the first place. The two had been rivals as both pirates and swordsmen for years - since they had first met as little more than boys. But this time had been strange. Shanks hadn’t put up much of a fight when they crossed swords upon finding one another, prompting Mihawk to end the duel and declare it inconclusive. After this, Shanks had only laughed, agreed, and dragged Mihawk off to drink.

"If I told you, I’d have to kill you," Shanks slurred.

"Don’t be absurd," Mihawk said irritably, not in the mood for jokes. "I have to take you back or you’ll just head to the bar again."

"And that’s a problem?" Shanks laughed.

Mihawk considered dropping the other man right there and then. After all, he didn’t owe him anything. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Grinding his teeth, he stepped off the dirt road and headed across a field towards the forest that lined the island’s coast. If Shanks wouldn’t tell him where his ship was, Mihawk would just have to take the man to his own.

"You could carry at least a bit of your own weight," he grumbled. He was practically dragging Shanks.

"But I’m tired," Shanks complained, his head lolling against Mihawk’s shoulder.

"Tell me where your ship is and I’ll take you there so you can go to sleep," Mihawk tried again.

"No," Shanks said stubbornly. "I wanna stay with you."

Mihawk stopped in his tracks. By now they had reached the cover of the trees. The distant chatter and drunken laughter coming from the town was nearly overpowered by crickets and the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. Shanks seemed to take the lack of movement as an invitation to drop all of his weight onto Mihawk.

"Goddammit," Mihawk swore, falling down. He wasn’t exactly sober himself, and Shanks had caught him by surprise. "Get up."

But Shanks ignored him, and instead crawled over and collapsed again, half in Mihawk’s lap, arms around his chest, head on his shoulder. “Let’s just sleep here.”

Mihawk tried to push Shanks away, but the red-haired man refused to let go.

"Shanks, this is ridiculous, get your hands off me," he said, trying to ignore the sudden pounding of his heart and the warmth in his cheeks.

Shanks looked up. His cheeks were pink and his smile sloppy and drunken, but there was something resembling clarity in his eyes. “What’s ridiculous? I like you. I didn’t call you here for a duel, I just wanted to see you.”

Honesty, that’s what was in his eyes.

"Shanks…"

Suddenly, his grip relaxed. He rolled off of Mihawk and sat in the grass. He rummaged around in his pockets and finally pulled out a piece of paper.

"I also wanted to give you this," he said, holding it out to Mihawk. "So we can always find each other."

Mihawk looked curiously at the paper, but took it and tucked it into his coat.

"Remind me in the morning and I’ll explain," Shanks said. He swayed a little. "If I was too bold … I apologize. But I really do like you."

Mihawk avoided his gaze. “You’re drunk.”

Shanks ran a hand through his hair. “Drunken fools are honest fools. I like what you’ve done with your beard, by the way.”

"Shanks," Mihawk said.

"Mihawk," Shanks mocked.

Mihawk sighed. “Let me take you to your ship.” He stood and held out his hand to help the other man up.

Shanks grabbed it and in one fell swoop pulled Mihawk right back down, throwing his arms around his neck this time and planting a single soft kiss on the other’s lips.

There was a beat of silence after they parted. Then Shanks seemed to realize himself and exclaimed, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I just wanted to - ! I mean I was only - ! I’m a fool, I -“

He was cut off by Mihawk dipping his head down and returning the kiss. “That you are,” he murmured. “An honest, drunken fool."


End file.
